


Lost Sun.

by Sueinthesky



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-27 06:51:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16213712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sueinthesky/pseuds/Sueinthesky
Summary: Created for Irateshipping week 2018.Prompt: Alternative Universe.Jonouichi is forced to leave his homeland, to find himself in some strange, new world.What is he doing there? Why can't he understand a single word of that place?What is a Pharaoh, and what does he want from him?Most importantly...Who is that young man who lives in the basement of that majestic palace?





	Lost Sun.

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: mentions of slavery, and some OOCness I guess...?
> 
> I followed the advice of a precious friend, and I decided to post this fanfiction written for the Irateshipping week. I do not know where I found the courage.  
> I'm not very fluent in English yet, I promise I'll improve.  
> Well...  
> Thank you for reading. It means a lot to me.

\-----LOST SUN----

When Jonouichi opened his eyes, he felt the cruel rays of the sun burning his face. It was a profound shock, like being born a second time, but without the comforting arms of a mother. On the contrary, he could feel the rigid tightening of the chains, the burning earth beneath his feet, and the frost of his own sweat on the skin burned by that strange world, so far from his house. How distant he was? He had lost track. Days, weeks ...? He had forgotten it. The only thing that he remembered, and that pierced his heart every time he touched his mind, was his sister's desperate scream, her hand entwined with his, breathing heavily, in an attempt to escape those crazy demons, come for feed on their humble life, their simplicity ...

The blurred contours of the landscape before him gradually took shape, to reveal a picture of appalling beauty. Gold. A city made of gold was manifested, like a hallucination, the same he could see as when, after a day of hard work, he enjoyed with his friend Honda some sweet goblet ...

There were majestic towers, oddly shaped, barely visible on the horizon. There were strange creatures staring at him, ready to devour him only with his eyes, and bizarre animals with humps of unpleasant smell ...

He would have analyzed even more the disquieting reality that was before him, but a sharp pain in his back suddenly awoke him. One of the men who had captured him in his home country was shouting at him in an obscure language, with a furious growl, threatening enough to shake his knees and immobilize him there, on the spot. Another kick made him fall, making him realize that he was standing and had not even noticed. He tried to move his hands to ease the fall, but there, too, the icy reminiscence of the chains made him feel a void in his stomach, so strong that he felt nausea. She stood up shakily, though she tried to conceal her fear from the eyes of those repugnant beings who had dared to snatch him from his beloved country. He glared at his torturer, before continuing, and realizing that like him another dozen souls were suffering that hell. Jonouichi was frightened by their sight, even more than when he recognized his attackers: those could not be human. They were shadows of a life, emaciated as if feeding were forbidden to them. He tried to observe himself, to see if he too resembled them, but a further push made him realize that he had to set off, go even further into that nightmare, and there was not even time to be afraid. He wanted to see a little hope in the eyes of his companions in misfortune, but the only thing that burned at that moment was not the ardor of those who wanted to survive. Only the scorching heat of the sun of Egypt.

-LET ME GO!

He was shocked by the sound of his own voice. It was so ... shrill and feeble. Despite the anger he felt within himself, he could not even overlook the echo of the steps of those who had now become guards. Everything had happened so fast, as if everyone was playing a role set by some cruel god. He had been forced to walk to the center of a grain-colored town, under the surprised eyes of all those dark-skinned people who seemed to stare at him as if it were some kind of weird miracle of nature. At that point, his ragged captors had unhooked him from the group, and delivered to even bigger, but much better dressed, energumens, armed with swords that Jonouichi had never seen in his country. But it was when he heard their violent tugging, when he felt a new chain tighten his neck, that something inside him awakened, showing the whole country his anger and his indignation. People, curious as they were, became scared. Probably none of them could understand him, no matter how much Jonouichi urged them to give him a hand. And now that he found himself in that palace as luxurious as it was scary, protected by immense statues of beings with an animal face, he did not intend to subside. The guards, perhaps amused by his protests, like that of a pig unable to resign itself to slaughter, let him protest, until they arrived in a long corridor flanked by majestic columns, at the end of the steps led to what he could only imagine to be a throne.

On the sides there were individuals dressed in white. Of such delightful figures that Jonouichi wondered, for a second, if he had not died and ended up in a sort of unhealthy paradise. Their amber-colored skin, in contrast with the whiteness of their garments and the gold of their ornaments, made them seem so distant and so different from him that he almost felt ashamed of his presence in that place, even if he had spontaneously appeared there. But what mostly made him stop his heart for several seconds sat in the center of that scene: what he imagined was their king had the youth of an exotic cherub, and Jonouichi could not help but analyze every single detail. Starting from the color of his eyes, sparkling like amethyst in the sun, to the extravagant shape of his hair, which the boy imagined could only be the result of the whims of a nobleman. But what really made him look like a ray of sunshine on the first day of winter was his look and expression: compassion. Confusion. Sadness. That boy was looking at him straight in the soul, and he could see his misery.

They stared at each other for a long time, in silence, while the young sovereign's entourage watched the scene respectfully. Until the same boy began to speak, in that language incomprehensible to him, but Jonouichi could well guess that he was very agitated, almost ... as confused as he was. He was not sure, but he believed he was talking about him. The boy pointed to him several times, and seemed to insist on questions that nobody could answer. He seemed indignant, as if wondering what that poor soul in chains was doing in the middle of his palace, and why it was so reduced. Someone tried to answer, but the king did not seem to be satisfied. That heartfelt exchange of jokes broke off with a sigh, and then he looked back at Jonouichi, more and more displeased. With a slight rumble, he decided to get out of the throne and head towards him. Jonouichi could feel the panic slowly taking possession of his body, and he tried to back away, terrified, but the guards were ready to prevent his escape. Not that it would take long: he was so tired, that his legs were barely given the order to rise up. He could not even do it: all he did was shake a little, just rise up and then fall back to the ground, sitting on the luxurious smooth marble, carefully avoiding anyone's eyes, hoping to conceal the defeat in his eyes. But a chorus of surprised sighs and the presence of the boy in front of him tickled his curiosity, and he found himself …face to face with him.

The king had knelt down, to be able to scrutinize it better. He had ... bent over for him. Apparently the thing must have aroused some indignation, especially for the guy with a huge scepter in his hands, the most arrogant of all. Jonouichi already hated him. But the sovereign did not seem to care, and indeed, he continued to show him the warmest smile that Jonouichi had ever seen, and he spoke to him. Words that unfortunately the boy could not understand. He seemed to have asked him a question, but ... he was not sure he could answer.

-W-what, sorry?

He tried to ask back, in his own language, hoping that the sovereign could seize something ... but nothing, it was his turn to be puzzled. Nevertheless he was not discouraged. He cleared his throat, calmly, and then repeated the same words as before, but more slowly. For Jonouichi it was like hearing a melody for the first time and being unable to recognize its notes. He wanted to scratch his neck because of the confusion, unfortunately his hands were still bound by those cruel chains. The sovereign sighed, standing up with caution, without stopping to observe him with an almost brotherly concern. But it seemed that he had an idea, as his beautiful face lit up for a moment. He turned to someone from his suite, apparently the beautiful girl with long black hair, and made her a request. At first the woman looked rather perplexed, but recomposed herself a moment later, nodding her approval and saying something as she bowed to her king.

It was at that point that the attention of the sovereign turned again to Jonouichi, smiling even more, so radiant that seemed to have been given to that world by a ray of sunshine. He pointed a finger at himself, uttering a single, simple word.

-Atem.

Jonouichi managed to understand this time. Perfectly. But for some reason, that name reverberated heavily in his head, as if he had discovered a shocking secret. To the point of not being able to immediately pronounce his own when the king pointed at him this time, and then open the palm of his hand with kindness, as to invite him to follow his example.

-J-Jono-uichi.

The king seemed very satisfied with that answer. He repeated his name ... with a lot of stammering, until he repeated it aloud to his followers, adding a sort of order, so suddenly that Jonouichi did not have time to correct it. Not even the time to understand what was happening, that the guards were taking him away again. Unable to make sense of the situation, Jonouichi could only scream his name, as if it could mean everything.

-A-ATEM! NO, WAIT-ATEM!

But the sovereign greeted him, simply. For a moment, he stopped being afraid. If Atem was not worried, maybe even he had no reason to be ...

The next half hour was ... unreal. From the greyness and the dirt of a cold hold, Jonouichi was suddenly immersed in a tub adorned with gold and full of perfumed water. He did not understand how he had arrived at that point, to be honest ... nothing of what was happening made any sense. He believed he was destined to a terrible life, like a slave in that sparkling court ... certainly never wouldhave imagined being in that tub in that huge room, with hot water, and having to face the embarrassment of being surrounded by charming girls that massaged it with fragrant oils that seemed to have touched only skin sprayed with blue blood. He wanted to find out what Atem had said to the court, and especially to that woman, and above all, what the heck should have done there from then on.

He wanted to think about it and find an answer, really ... but those delicate hands continued to embarrass him, and make him burn.

-L-ladies, please ... -

But the maids did not listen to him. And judging by their ringing giggles, they would not have minded it, even if they could understand it.

Jonouichi could only try to get smaller and smaller in the tub, and cover what he could, while he felt his cheeks blush more and more.

He did not imagine that those clothes could suit him so well. Jonouichi had never worn anything like that, and was not used to having so much exposed skin ... all in all, however, with the suffocating heat of Egypt, it was not bad. His neck was adorned with golden filaments, and tightened at the waist by a belt, a white robe leaned softly on its forms. Once again he decided in vain to fill his head with questions that nobody could answer, if only because they would not even understand. That language barrier was becoming more than a mere inconvenience, especially when the guards came back for him and Jonouichi, despite his protests, found himself reluctant to follow them, also because they held in the hands of the lances from the air not properly friendly. It was not sure they knew exactly how to use them, but he did not intend to test them.

The biggest problem was that he did not understand where he was going: little by little, the gleaming light of the palace was starting to get lost in dark corridors, lower and lower. The more seconds passed, the more an unpleasant sensation gripped at Jonouichi's chest. Where were they taking him? In an isolated place to imprison him, torture him ... kill him? Atem would not allow it, did he?

He tried in vain to talk to the guards. Slowly, hoping to be understood, but nothing. They did not even deign to give him a look. Jonouichi snorted, trying to ignore the unpleasant shivers down his back. Chilling. A bad omen gripped his mind, little by little descending into darkness, accompanied by his very personal tower of Babel. He looked down, walking with more and more reticence, convinced that every step led him to his inevitable end. The sun was no longer shining. Jonouichi was sure: that place would have become his grave. Stone stairs led his steps towards a dark oblivion. He thought of his sister, of the cool April days in his country, in his humble home, and his eyes began to fill with tears ...

Normally, he would have escaped. He would have punched those testosterone clusters with the odd clothes, and he would have run so fast that he did not need a ship to go home. Normally. But at that moment the desire to live was leaving him. He had fought and suffered enough. If that was to be his end, that at least was fast ...

His thoughts were again shaken, violently. Jonouichi opened his eyes, because apparently the guards were turning to him, pointing to something. In those depths, lit only by torches that let us glimpse incomprehensible signs on the walls, there was a door. Open.

Where the most angelic creaturethat Jonouichi had ever seen awaited.

With his eyes as confused as his.

Everyone in that court seemed the protagonists of some ancient legend, as beautiful as mysterious, but that boy -or Jonouichi supposed he was a boy, seen some traits of that slender body, barely visible through the delicate white dress of linen beating in some way. It was perhaps that hair of the same color of the wheat in the rainy dawns,perhaps those limpid eyes like lavender in the spring, Jonouichi could not say. He could only say that if had to be killed by those hands, well, at least it wouldn’t have been painful.

The boy approached the guards, asking questions, and like the king, he did not seem happy with the answers. He stared at the prisoner with an annoyed pout. He could look adorable, but something in that look pierced Jonouichi's chest, which he winced, as if he felt particularly guilty of something, caught on a crime he did not know he had committed.

The boy finally seemed to resign. He dismissed the guards with a wave of his hand, and then silence.

The tension was perceptible. Technically, Jonouichi could have used the opportunity to rebel and escape. He could have punched that androgynous torturer, and run away. He could have tried ... but those eyes could keep him at bay for some reason. The boy turned around, studying him, analyzing every inch of his white skin. Jonouichi noticed that he was a couple of inches taller than he was, but the slender form made him stand out among the two, and yet he seemed to grow smaller and smaller, to avoid that unwanted analysis. At that point the boy sighed again, and pointed out, as had previously done the king by bizarre hairstyle.

-Malik.

Oh, great. They were already at the presentations. Malik ... that name sounded really good. Jonouichi repeated it to himself, savoring the sound like honey between his lips. He knew the procedure at that point. He imitated him, and this time he decided to pronounce his name without stuttering.

-Jonouichi.

Malik stared at him confused, and Jonouichi did not understand why. Not until he saw the poor boy try to juggle with the sounds ...

-J-joono ...?

-Oh God. Can't you pronounce it?

A light laugh escaped Jonouichi. Malik looked so funny. Embarrassed, almost. He stared at him strangely, waiting for an explanation. Curse of their communication problems. He cleared his throat, and looking at his face, he repeated more slowly.

-Jonouichi.

-Jono ... u ... -

\- ... ichi.

-Jonoui ... chi?

-Exact! See, it's not difficult.

Malik seemed satisfied, to the point that Jonouichi managed to glimpse a smile for a second. It was really a matter of a blink of an eye: immediately, Malik gave him his back, taking a few steps beyond the dark door. He turned only to beckon him to follow him.

And Jonouichi in spite of himself found himself obeying, without even knowing why.

So now, what did he have to lose?

... he understood it very soon.

Around them, illuminated by the dim light of the torches, there were shelves and shelves, each overflowing with parchments.

At the center of that stone room, what seemed to be a table.

Jonouichi understood that what he was entitled to was a fate worse than death.

Malik told him something, and obviously he did not understand.

But one thing was clear.

He had to study.

-*Not good. Repeat.*

Jonouichi snorted hard, collapsing on his seat. The lesson of that day was boring enough, moreover the dimness of the dungeons caused him a certain desire to sleep. Could he at least take a nap, before constantly repeating words that had barely any sense for him ...?

... well ... it had to be said that at least now they had a little sense. Malik had been a really good teacher in those last few weeks. Little by little, that confused picture in which he had had outlines became a full portrait, and now he could clearly see the situation.

Malik was a tombkeeper. Apparently he had free time, and so the wise Pharaoh-Malik had told him that so was called the ruler of their country-had asked him to teach him some of the language. When Jonouichi tried with difficulty to ask why he had been brought there in the first place, Malik had only mumbled some terms too difficult for him. He promised to ask him again once his vocabulary improved.

For now, to escape the impatience of his charming teacher, he had only to repeat _beit_. _Home_.

-We can ... pause? - he asked, with difficulty, ashamed a bit 'of the rusty way in which the words still came out of his mouth.

Malik closed his eyes, sighing loudly, but nodded and relaxed too, leaving the grim position standing behind Jonouichi, to sit next to him.

The boy stared at him, making sure their looks did not cross. He was always nervous when it happened. A bizarre feeling in his chest began to make its way, and he was never sure how to handle it.

Thinking about it, he had managed to deal with Malik in a rather bizarre way. The first times had been hell: a continuous scream of the boy against his poor tired mind, already exhausted by all those changes, nervous because he could not understand anything of that language so bizarre and complex. Malik had got into the habit of shaking a cane like a whip to intimidate him, as if he was the worst of the unruly students, and he had also caught a couple of whips.

Sometimes he had feared that Malik would surrender with him, and this would have been even worse than death. If Jonouichi had not made any progress, what would have happened to him? He would have been killed, without a shadow of a doubt. Or abandoned in the desert. And if there were no improvements, he could not see Atem again. He wanted it so much …

But mentioning it to Malik was almost forbidden. As soon as they talked about Pharaoh, the boy became nervous, suddenly changed the subject, and recommended Jonouichi not to trust him too much. He did not think that a servant could feel so much grudge against his own sovereign, more so apparently so generous, but Malik seemed to have his good reasons and at that point he preferred not to forbid.

Back in the present, Jonouichi realized that Malik was staring at him with a little smile. He hated when he did it. The silence of that room was unbearable, with the only sound of the torches that were consumed little by little. Whatever Malik was about to say, Jonouichi was sure it would be a direct and unimaginable blow. And he still did not have the right weapons to defend himself.

-Do you still think of the Pharaoh, Jonouichi?

…he could see that coming.

Jonouichi blushed, carefully avoiding looking at him. He folded his arms, feigning sudden interest in the parchments in front of him.

-No…! But ... I want to see him again ... ...

-I have explained how it works: you can not go back on if you do not learn to speak properly. After so many weeks it still takes a lifetime for you to say something!

-I ... I'm sorry ... but it's hard ...

-I know, I know.

Malik seemed as bored as him that day. He leaned his elbow on the table, continuing to scrutinize him in that way that made Jonouichi feel almost uncomfortable.

\- Am I a good teacher, Jonouichi?

-Without ... – and he beat the air, with an invisible rush. -…Yup.

Malik burst out laughing. A crystalline sound that put Jonouichi in a good mood. The first embarrassment had almost disappeared.

-There's something that I've always wanted to ask you ... -

The boy's curiosity led him to stand at attention, trying to understand what Malik wanted. He crossed his legs on the large chair, tilting his face.

-Jonouichi ... how is the sun? –

The boy was not sure he understood correctly. Did Malik really ask him what the sun was like?

-You ... have never ... seen ...?

-No, I have not. I told you, I was born and raised here.

Here, this was something that Jonouichi had always found fascinating about Malik. His life was ... mysterious. He could not fully understand all the dynamics, and to tell the truth he did not care. However, it was a crime to shut such a beautiful boy in the underground.

Jonouichi had recently learned what it meant to be a prisoner, and he had to say he missed his freedom. But how could someone who had never had freedom feel in the first place ...?

He paused to reflect, also because he honestly did not remember the right words. Part of him hoped that Malik had not explained them yet. How could he say how the sun was ...?

Well, gestures certainly helped.

Suddenly a scene occurred to him. He and his sister, lying on the grass, in front of their wooden house. One summer afternoon. The fresh air caressed the two boys, and if Jonouichi concentrated, he could almost smell it. The chills on the warm skin caused by a caress of the wind, the nectar of the flowers that gave them all the aroma they were capable of, the taste of the ear held between the lips, stolen in some garden that now did not remember ...

And the sweet and shrill voice of his sister, who caressed him like a puppy.

The pain caused by the sweetness of those memories almost made his eyes water, and even more the sound of that voice, like a cloud of melancholy behind his head.

_ How beautiful is nii-san's hair. Golden like the sun _ ...!

... he repeated those exact words in his language.

But Malik obviously could not understand.

It was at that point that Jonouichi had an intuition. He took a lock of hair between his fingers, lifting it in the direction of Malik. His eyes tried to find a connection with those of Malik, who seemed rather uncertain.

-Sun ... like this ...!

It was at that point that the boy was able to understand. Malik's perplexed expression spread out in a serene smile, almost amused.

-Are you telling me…The sun is like your hair?

Jonouichi nodded vigorously.

Malik could only giggle again. He reached out slowly to the boy, who withdrew just a little, as if to understand his intentions. When he sensed that there was nothing malevolent, he let it go. Malik's thin fingers then caressed those soft golden threads, imagining them as warm rays on his fingers. The feeling for Jonouichi was ... almost pleasant. Indeed, definitely pleasant. Marik's hand was so delicate, and that light touch was like a tickle veil. The base of his back quivered, and for a second he felt like a puppy rewarded by his trainer.

-So you're like the sun, Jonouichi ...?

For what he could understand, the boy merely nodded his head, shrugging his shoulders, embarrassed.

-I would like to feel it, some day ...

Malik pushed his hand away, stopping to stroke him. The lack was immediately felt, for Jonouichi, who almost seemed disappointed by the gap.

He remained silent, bending his head a little, thinking about what Malik had just said. He understood that perfectly.

Only, he did not know how to answer.

Not that day.

The next days were simple in the basement of the building. The routine began to take on more and more defined contours: Jonouichi got up early, woken up by his teacher who brought him breakfast-all based on rice and vegetables. What would he give, for a nice slice of pork ... -. Immediately after, he was led to the grooming area, where he could immerse himself in a pool dug into the ground, already full of hot water and fragrant oils. Dressed, it was time to go to the reading room, for that day’s lesson. He did not do much else, and his instincts began to stumble. Jonouichi was a wild horse, and those reins began to weigh on him. And so perhaps to please Malik, who had been so kind to him, perhaps to be able to get out of that underground dungeon first, he had decided to commit himself even more, and soon he made considerable improvements. From time to time the girl whom he had seen at court, whom he had discovered to be called Isis, came to examine the situation and check his progress. From time to time, she found herself more and more ecstatic.

-The pharaoh will be glad to know ...! - she said every time, before leaving Malik with a quick hug, and then return up, under the gaze full of melancholy and envy of the boy. Jonouichi was sure of it: if he could see Atem again, only once, he would have convinced him to free Malik. He did not believe he had done anything wrong, more than anything else he believed he understood how things were: Malik had to play that role. Staying locked up in the basement was the price for being born in the wrong noble branch, and if he could say it all, he considered it a disgusting injustice. The only moments of leisure that Malik could have were with him, when, tired of the lesson, he began to play senet with him or tried to start a conversation with him. Sometimes they did both.

Like that evening, in which Malik felt particularly bored. He told Jonouichi that there would be no lesson, he had pulled out the game and now they were there, moving pawns, lying on the ground like two children, tracing the dancing shadows on the ground from time to time with their fingers.

-You are distant, Jonouichi. Something wrong?

The blond boy lazily moved a pawn, lifting his chin slightly on one of his arms, to better look at Malik.

-I was actually thinking ... do you ever get tired of being here, Malik?

At that question, Malik sat up, as if wounded. In reality, he seemed to be puzzled. He squeezed a hand to his chest, looking away, his expression increasingly pained.

\- Well, it's my duty ...

-Ok, I agree, but you are not allowed to go out even once?

-It's complicated.

-But like you'll never enjoy life! And how do you find a wife here?

-…wife?

Jonouichi could not believe the show he was witnessing: in front of his eyes, Malik was blushing. And hard, too. Had he been finally able to put his teacher in the corner? Was Malik ... embarrassed by him? He showed an evil grin. Marik himself taught him that expression ...

-One hit for me, uh? I bet you had not thought about it. Have you ever thought about how you will ...?

-How will I do what? How impudently do you introduce these topics?

-Oooh, do not be a child. For example ... have you ever kissed someone?

\- ... Kissed?

Malik seemed genuinely disoriented. The game in front of them ended up in oblivion, while Jonouichi also rose from the ground, to see if his impressions were correct. He frowned, looking directly into Malik's eyes. Why that expression ...?

-Malik, do not you know what it's like to kiss?

\- ... -

That silence was eloquent. If it was not unlikely, Jonouichi would have sworn that Malik was in a panic, almost ashamed of being beaten by his student. No, he obviously did not know the meaning of that word. But Malik's curiosity was perhaps stronger than mortification, because instead of indignant and ranting, as he normally did, he simply decided to move more towards Jonouichi.

\- ... what ... what does it mean ...?

It was Jonouichi's turn to blush. He scratched the back of his head, staring at the ceiling, an embarrassed smirk to paint his face. When he lowered it, he found Malik's lilac eyes staring at him, even closer. He backed away a little, taken aback, holding the weight of his back on both arms.

-I-it-means ... well ... -

He had acted like the expert of the situation, but he was not. At all. In his life he had kissed very few people. Like that foreign girl, coming from a distant land, with very long hair and bright color, which almost resembled his own. Their kiss had actually been the sealing of a promise that Jonouichi was no longer able to keep. Not his fault.

He frowned for a few seconds, before pretending to return to his usual fading expression. But how could he explain to Malik what a kiss was ...?

First he raised his hand, showing the forefinger and middle fingers together, then bringing them to his lips. Malik shook his head, still confused.

\- ... It looks lame.

-Of course it’s not! You do not do it with your fingers, but with the lips of another person!

-WHAT?

It was Marik's turn to back off. The boy looked shaken by the news, and put a hand to his chest, indignant.

-It ‘s disgusting! Who would ever do such a thing?

-I told you, you are a child! In reality it is a wonderful feeling. You start to feel warm everywhere, and tingly…!

\- ... a fever also does that.

-Listen, if you do not try, you do not know, okay?

\- So I'm afraid I’ll have to give up knowing it.

Jonouichi had to watch the sunset of that moment of euphoria. Malik's face became full of shadows. He turned away so as not to have to face the expression of Jonouichi, while he pretended to concentrate on gathering the pieces of the game. He did not want to finish it now. As the sound of wood echoed in the air, Malik could hear the rustling of Jonouichi's clothes as he walked away. Maybe it was time to resume the lesson. Definitely, actually. How could he have let that conversation distract him from his duties? He had been an immature. If Isis and his father had known ...

He had just finished putting the last piece aside when he felt a hand brush against his chin.

Then Jonouichi had not left ...

He awakened in surprise, and turned abruptly, to understand his intentions.

That was the wrong move ... or the right one. Malik would never have asked himself the question, because he would not have been able to find the answer anyway.

What he knew was that Jonouichi's lips were touching his.

And he was learning what a kiss was.

Everything was so sudden and unreal. Intense to the point of hurting. He could not hear any sound other than the breath of Jonouichi-of course it could not be his, because his lungs did not claim oxygen- and the incessant and accelerated beats of his heart. For some strange reason he felt his arms give way and fail, but luckily the boy was there to hold him and hold him by the shoulders, as if to make sure he did not escape. But Malik did not want to escape, Jonouichi was right. It was a magnificent feeling. A feeling of warmth, strong, intense. Embraced by the shadows, he could only concentrate, with eyes now half-closed, on the intense blond of his hair that brushed his forehead. He suddenly wanted to tighten to him, to touch him again, to still taste those young lips, to get closer and closer to that forbidden sun ...

... until Jonouichi broke away, ending the spell.

Malik could see that his cheeks were flushed ... but he did not feel like judging, considering how he felt his face burning over him.

It was Jonouichi who broke the silence, with an embarrassed smile.

-Here, now you know how kissing it is! Not bad, uh?

The slap that came in his face was probably not the answer he expected. But it was still an answer.

Not even the time to protest that Malik had fled away.

However, Jonouichi did not know he kissed that bad…

The next day was loaded with tension. The more the morning progressed, the more Jonouichi regretted what he had done. Malik did not even want to look in his eyes. It only gave him to read parchments on scrolls. No more questions, no more complicit looks, Malik even refused to approach him. The situation was unbearable, and Jonouichi could not help but feel displaced as in the early days, when he did not understand what the hell the world wanted from him and what he could say to get rid of that situation.

-Jonouichi, I told you to repeat: _Akhet_ ... -

-May I bother you, brother?

The tense lesson was interrupted by a gentle voice and a soothing presence. The two boys turned in unison to observe the source: Isis had arrived in the room, accompanied by the two famous guards and the priest with an unsympathetic face, who did not even deign to greet. Jonouichi first looked at the unusual group, and then Malik. And he was surprised to see in the boy's face what could only be classified as terror…or sadness. Malik had sensed something, and certainly was not pleased with the news that was about to be announced.

-Isis, don’t tell me that ...

-Our guest has learned enough from you to serve the Pharaoh. Our family will have a good reward as promised. You should be proud of yourself, Malik!

But the boy simply lowered his face, hugging himself in his arms, while the guards approached a confused Jonouichi, lifting him from his seat.

-Hey, this time you can understand me, beasts! Where are you bringing me?

\- MIND YOUR LANGUAGE, YOU FILTHY DOG.

\- WHO DID YOU CALL DOG, CYLINDER HEAD?

As predicted by the tension in the air, Jonouichi and the priest did not waste time on each other, leaving Isis in complete indifference as he approached Malik, whose face was hidden by the soft cascade of ash-colored hair. The girl laid a hand on his shoulder, in maternal way.

-You knew this day would come, right?

-Yes, sister.- It was Malik's soft answer. Not another reaction, not a slight movement. Isis kissed his forehead, before turning her back on him and helping the guards to separate Jonouichi and the Priest that were declaring their mutual intention to hit the hell out of each other.

-Jonouichi, let's go ...! The Pharaoh can not wait to converse with you.

\- ... Atem wants to see me? -

The enthusiasm of Jonouichi was for Malik like a sword pierced in the back. The weight of that impending farewell was too much for him, and decided to turn his back on everyone, to face the darkness of the corridors on his own.

\- W-WAIT. I WANT TO SAY GOODBYE TO MALIK ...! I WILL SEE HIM AGAIN, RIGHT?

Malik looked up to hear Jonouichi say his name. He turned quickly, just enough time to see the boy dragged away while resisting, trying to reach him.

-MALIK! ... WAIT! DAMN IT, LET ME GO!

With a powerful bite on the guard's arm that held him tight, Jonouichi managed to gain the freedom to wiggle and shoot from Marik, hugging him from behind.“such impudence!” Commented the priest, horrified by that scene. But at that moment Jonouichi only cared about hugging Malik, sinking his face into his hair, rubbing his face softly, like a child looking for affection.

\- I'll come get you out of here. I will not forget you, I swear ...!

Malik did not react. He remained motionless, letting him do it. Only a few quavers betrayed his condition, and Jonouichi understood perfectly what was happening. He only managed to kiss him in the back of his neck, before being caught up and once again dragged away from the world he had grown fond of. To that boy who had taken care of him, disinterested.

-WAIT FOR ME, MALIK. I WILL COME BACK FOR YOU, I PROMISE ...!

The steps began to become more and more distant to Malik's ears.

But he could not resist any longer. He had to see him, for the last time.

He turned abruptly, his face covered with tears, to meet his gaze.

That gold.

That light.

His sun.

They were taking him away.

Helpless, he collapsed on his knees, letting the sobs seize him.

He had found his sun, his only taste of freedom. And the Pharaoh had taken that away, too.

Grasping his wet face, Malik could feel, in despair, like a shadow growing, a glowing head of anger piercing his chest.

It was not right.

That could not be his destiny.

Once savored happiness, Malik did not intend to give it away.

He wanted to hold him again. He wanted to be a part of him.

He wanted to be the reason of his every gesture.

At the cost of putting him against his beloved Pharaoh.

Jonouichi would have been his.

In this life, or in the next.

And he would not have given it to anyone.

And in the meantime, the shadow grew ...


End file.
